


The Queen's Curse

by mikoriin



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, F/F, Fantasy, Original Character(s), Original Universe, Post-Apocalypse, Victorian, wlw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:07:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22792966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikoriin/pseuds/mikoriin
Summary: Elizabeth Anne Klaus is the only daughter to King Hendrik, a princess of a dying land. Years ago, monstrous beasts called Angels brought the land to ruin, devouring livestock and taking the people of Therescia to the edge of the country where their queen stole their essence to stay alive. Elizabeth, eavesdropping on her father's meeting with the highest appointed soldiers in the kingdom, sneaked out of the castle to join the soldiers on their quest to kill the queen. On this quest, she meets captain of the guard, Willow, a hard and stoic woman. The two don't seem to see eye to eye at first, but only time will tell what will come of their relationship.
Kudos: 3





	1. The Invasion

The lights gleamed off the chandeliers, gowns swaying in a sea of fabric as the music chimed in Elizabeth’s ears. All was spinning, the lights blending into a glistening sky. The music faded and all came to a halt. Elizabeth’s chest rose and fell with each breath, the bright lights hot on her skin. She curtsied to the boy she had danced with then picked up the skirt of her thick scarlet dress and headed to where her father was sitting. The King outstretched his hand, Elizabeth taking it in kind. “You look beautiful darling.” He spoke in a deep but soft voice.

Elizabeth giggled. “That’s the fifth time you’ve said that today, Papa.” She dropped to the floor, her dress flaring out beneath her. She leaned her head on her father’s knee. 

He chuckled, “And I will say it many times more, you grow more beautiful every minute.”

“Not when I’m drenched in sweat from dancing in such a heavy dress.” She fanned herself with her hand. “Especially when boys don’t know how to dance. My toes hurt from being stepped on.”

“I’m sure they were just nervous, any boy would be to dance with the princess at her birthday ball.” He smiled softly through his thick beard.

Elizabeth only smiled in response. Today marked her 19th birthday and all nobility was invited to the celebration. It was just like any other party thrown at the castle, everyone wanted to talk to her, whether it be about fancy materials or how grand it all was. If she was honest, it all bored her. She would love to talk about literature or politics instead of jewelry and boys. Not that she wasn’t interested in the finer things, but it’s all her friends would talk about, and frankly she had no interest in boys. “Boys remind me of Ida’s chicken stew.” Elizabeth mumbled. 

The king bellowed out a laugh, his round stomach bouncing with each breath. “Be kind to Ida, she has changed your linens more times than I can count. She took care of you in times that I couldn’t, she’s my most trusted servant.”

It was true, Ida had always been there and practically raised Elizabeth alongside her father. Though she wouldn’t consider her to be her mother, more like an aunt. As she thought about this her father leaned in close and whispered, “But I do admit, her cooking does upset my bowels.”

The two laughed to themselves over Ida’s culinary skills. The melody of violins and cellos made its way into Elizabeth’s ears once again, bringing her attention to the ballroom. Her guests danced to the rhythm of the music, everyone enjoying themselves. “Oh!” Her father’s voice now caught her attention, “I have something for you.” He dug around in his vest pocket.

Elizabeth shimmied to face her father as he pulled out a small silver box. Her eyes widened with wonder at what was inside. “I’ve wanted to give this to you for years, but I never saw an opportunity.” her father’s voice was tender as he opened the tiny box, “Now I think is as good a time as ever.” He smiled sweetly at his daughter, tears glistening in his amber eyes.

Elizabeth stared in awe at the contents inside the box, a brooch with gold rimming and a lavender stone in the middle. The princess gasped, bringing her hand to cover her mouth, “Papa...It’s beautiful!” She was mesmerized. 

“I received this on the day you were born as a...gift.” His tone seemed hesitant, “I’ve kept it by my side for 19 years, now I give it to you as my one and only daughter. I would go to the ends of this green earth for you, make any sacrifice, and bend any rule. You are the light of my life, Elizabeth Anne Klaus.”

Elizabeth felt tears swell up in her eyes as she accepted the gift. She stared into the stone with a loving gaze then placed it on the breast of her red dress. “Thank you so much Papa, I love it.” The king caressed her face with his large hand, Elizabeth melting into his touch. She adored her father.

Suddenly, there was a commotion among the guests, Elizabeth and her father turning to the noise to see two guards pushing their way past the crowd. “What is the meaning of this?” The king’s tone was firm now. “You are disrupting my daughter’s party.”

The guards stopped at the bottom of the steps before the throne. “Our deepest apologies, King Hendrik, but...angels have breached through the city walls and are making their way to the palace.” One soldier spoke, his voice shaky.

“What!?” The king’s voice boomed in Elizabeth’s ears, “How could you let them inside the city!?” The guards quivered under the man’s harsh tone while Elizabeth sat beside him in fear. 

Angels? In the city? She had only heard horror stories of the monsters that ravaged their world, tales of innocent people and soldiers slaughtered and taken by the “black winged beasts”, never to be seen again. Elizabeth was snapped out of her thoughts by a quieter voice. “Forgive us, your majesty, but...the queen is leading them.”

King Hendrik rose from his throne, all music and dancing ceased, “Get my guests to safety, take my daughter to her room and call for the general. I want him by my side and commanding all posts immediately.” He made his way through the crowd with the guards following short behind. “And call on the Golden Knight.”

Elizabeth shot to her feet as she watched more guards file into the ballroom as everyone scrambled to safety. She could hear Ida’s voice by her side.

“Come child, you must get to your room.”

Ida pulled Elizabeth along, the princess’ mind going several miles per hour. She looked back from behind her, her guests slipping out of the ballroom which had just been a place for celebration, not panic. Elizabeth was led to her room, Ida shutting all the windows and locking them, closing the curtains. The princess stood and watched her maid board up the room. “Now Princess,” Ida’s deep voice felt amplified in the young girl’s ears, “Stay here, don’t leave the room and  _ don’t _ look out the windows.” Was all she said before making her way across the room and shutting the door.

Elizabeth heard a click from the other side; she was locked in. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. What was happening? How could angels make their way into the city? Who was the “queen” leading them? Many questions raced through Elizabeth’s mind, anxiety forming in her chest. She turned to her windows and recalled Ida’s words. She stepped forward, screaming at herself to stop with each step. She couldn’t though, she had to see for herself what was happening. She peeled back the dark curtain of her large bedroom windows and peeked out to the courtyard. It was empty. Elizabeth almost felt relieved until she looked up to the sky and felt her relief turned to horror. The blue sky turned black with angels swarming around the castle. She took a step back. She had never seen one angel before, let alone hundreds above her home.

Suddenly, the light vanished from her window, Elizabeth looked up and saw a huge black mass. Bones poking out from skin, black bat-like wings, and sharp teeth dripping saliva and hot breath onto her window. She could feel her heart drop to her stomach, she was face to face with a real angel. She couldn’t move, she wanted to run, to scream, but her body disobeyed her.

Then, there was red on her windowpane. The angel fell from where it sat. Elizabeth clutched her stomach and threw one hand over her mouth trying to subdue the queasy feeling overtaking her. She peeked back out her window and saw a soldier in the courtyard with a crossbow in hand. The soldier was wearing a golden military vest with many buckles, chain link armor underneath the material. He wore a similarly golden headdress that covered his face, and white pants, weapons and satchels wrapped around his body. 

The soldier ran out of the quart yard, Elizabeth watching him go.  _ To the front gates _ she thought and dashed to the other side of her room. She pushed aside a large, full length mirror sitting against her wall and knelt down, pushing open a small door in the wall. She attempted to crawl through, but her dress was too big to fit. “Stupid dress, I don't have time for this!” She shouted then quickly slipped off everything until she was in her undergarments.

Now stripped, she was able to crawl through with ease. The hole led to a small, enclosed room with a small wooden desk against the wall with a box of matches and a candle settled on it, a narrow staircase off to the side squeezed between tight walls. Elizabeth fumbled to pick up the candle and matches, managing to light the match and placing the fire to the wick. She could see. She ran up the stone staircase and came into a large room with a dresser, chair, bookshelf, and area rug. This was her secret room she found when she was 13. She would come up here to escape from stress to read and doodle. But now was not the time for that. The room had a thin window covered by a curtain, Elizabeth made her way over to it and peered out. Her eyes shot wide at the sight - hoards of angels attacking soldiers, in the distance she could see homes and other buildings in flames, and in the center of the chaos was the silhouette of a woman.

_ A woman? _ Elizabeth was puzzled. She was like a dark mist, flowing hair that seemed to move as if it was in a constant whirlwind, her aura that of something evil. As she moved a trail was left behind her, like ooze from a slug. Elizabeth pressed her face closer to the opening trying to get a better look when the woman turned to face her. Golden orbs where eyes would be locked with jade, the woman staring daggers into Elizabeth’s soul. She couldn’t move. Her legs locked where she stood, staring at this woman. Who then smiled.

The princess jumped back at the gesture, dropping her candle to the floor, the flame going out and leaving her in darkness. She was breathing heavily; she must be the “queen” the guards spoke of. Elizabeth bit her lip, swallowed hard, and dared to peek out again. She slipped back the small curtain, letting a little bit of light in the room, and stared back out to the battlefield. This time the woman was occupied with someone else, a normal ranked soldier who was charging at her with a spear. The queen’s black nails grew long and sharp as she sliced through the man. Elizabeth winced. She hesitantly looked back up and saw a different soldier standing to face her. The Golden Knight. 

Elizabeth had heard of this soldier many times. He had many names, The Golden Knight, The Gods’ Knight, The Savior, The Hero. He was the most renowned soldier in the kingdom. She had heard the amount of angels he had killed ranged within the hundreds. He was a skilled strategist with loyalty to the kingdom that was unmatched, everyone believed he would be the one to save humanity and now he was face to face with the queen of angels herself. Elizabeth watched closely at what was to unfold.

The soldier drew his sword from its sheath and the queen readied her bloody nails. She lunged at him, her nails colliding with his sword, sparks flying. Elizabeth gasped at how strong her nails were to hold up to a sword. They were like blades! The queen and the soldier seemed to be evenly matched, all other soldiers and angels fought around them, not daring to get in their way. Then, the queen charged with a force so strong it knocked the soldier to his back, the woman pinning him down and scraping at his face, tearing away at the headdress that shielded him. The only thing keeping him from being torn to shreds was his sword between them. The princess’ breath caught in her throat, anxious for what was to happen next.

The soldier swiftly took one hand off his sword and pulled a small knife from his side, slicing at the queen’s face. She shrieked bloody murder, the sound ringing in Elizabeth’s ears. The queen released the soldier from her grip and flew back for defense, leaving room between them. The wound slit her mouth open and steam simmered from the cut as if it burned her. The princess’ eyes widened as she saw the wound instantly begin to close, as if it was never there to begin with. The queen opened her mouth to speak, but Elizabeth couldn’t make out what she was saying, too far away to hear or read her lips. In the next moment the queen spread large, black wings from her back, shrieked, and flew into the sky. The angels stopped attacking the soldiers and guards, following their queen as they flew away in retreat. Elizabeth stared into the sky as the masses of angels flew away from the castle. All the soldiers stood in confusion, some wounded and others beginning to clean up the bodies of their friends and other angels that had been killed.

“Bring the dead angels to the lab to be studied! Squad B and C, go into the city and put out the flames!” Elizabeth turned to the booming voice to see the general walking through the crowd, a large group of soldiers running past him into the city.

She looked further to see her father guarded by many soldiers. “Oh thank the Gods.” She let out a heavy sigh. Her father was safe.

She stood back from the small opening in the wall to catch her breath. She wiped her sweat-drenched forehead, fixing any stray hairs that slipped from her bun and braid, blonde strands sticking to her face. “I should head back, Ida will have a stroke if she sees me missing.” Elizabeth whispered to herself. Now that the whole ordeal was over she would head back to her room.

\---------

“I’m sure you were quite frightened.” Ida tucked Elizabeth into her large, queen sized bed. 

Elizabeth sat under the covers in silence. She had never been so scared in her life, she was so unprepared for an invasion. She took in a breath, “Well, I’m just happy my guests and my father are safe, as well as all of you Ida.” The princess forced a small smile. 

Ida’s dark eyes stared into Elizabeth’s, a smile spreading on her aged face. She placed a gentle hand onto the girl’s white cheek, “Oh darling…” Ida said with a pained look on her face.

Elizabeth didn’t understand Ida’s words or her expression. The woman then turned off the lamp at Elizabeth’s bedside and headed for the door. She told the princess goodnight before shutting the heavy door tight. Left alone in the dark, Elizabeth sank into her bed, pulling her thick blanket up to her chin. She closed her eyes and tried to drift into sleep but she horrors of the day flashed through her mind. The enormous, monstrous angels, the dead bodies and the blood, the queen staring right into her. Elizabeth couldn’t get that woman out of her mind. Her glowing eyes burning their image into her. ‘ _ Why did she look at me? How did she know I was there? Why did she look so...human? _ ’ So many questions ran through her mind. As she thought about all this she could hear footsteps outside her door.

“Bring the sword to my study, you all come with me until then.” She could faintly hear her father’s voice through the walls.

“Sire, you don’t mean to finally use  _ that _ do you!?” A voice she didn’t know shouted.

“Shh!” The king hissed, “Don’t be so loud you fool.” His voice was a harsh whisper.

“Y-yes sir.” The man whispered back.

The footsteps grew fainter as they walked away from Elizabeth’s door. When they were completely silent she sprung up from her bed, her feet landing silently on her rug. She crept towards her door, holding her arms out in front of her so as not to run into anything. She peered open the door as quietly as she could and peeked out. Empty hallway. Elizabeth ducked back into her room and rummaged through her vanity, finding a match and a candle. She lit the candle, slipped her feet into a pair of her slippers and walked out into the corridor, sliding her door shut behind her. She crept through the hallway to her father’s study. As she got closer she could see the light shine from under the closed door of the room. She crouched in front of the wooden door and pressed her ear up against it and listened. 

“The angels have tormented our land since my father’s time and the country is poor and in ruins, what’s left of my people lose their children so we can have new recruited soldiers to fight in the war. And now, angels have attacked the palace itself for the first time since The Falling. This was a direct attack on my kingdom, and the queen led them here.” Elizabeth swallowed hard at her father’s words. “We know that the angels cannot function without their queen…”

Upon hearing footsteps around the corner, Elizabeth quickly put out her candle and hid in the shadows up against a nearby wall away from the room. She held her breath, afraid to let out even the smallest sound. The guard skipped into her father’s office with a large sheath in his hand. Elizabeth was lucky he was so focused on his mission, otherwise he surely would have noticed her. The door shut behind the guard softly, the princess swiftly taking her previous place by it.

“Ah, Henry, finally.” Her father spoke softly, “The time to use this gift from the Gods has come. Willow, you are going to kill the queen with this.”

Elizabeth could hear mumbling voices in the room, the king having to silence them. They were going to kill her? Would it even be possible? The Golden Knight cut her face and it healed instantly. She listened closer, biting her lip, “This sword has not been used since it was forged. It is the only thing strong enough to kill the queen. You will be the first and only person to ever wield it.” Suddenly, the king’s voice became deeper and more serious. “You only unleash it on the queen. Do  _ not _ use it for any other purpose.”

Elizabeth sat and listened to the plan, the king shared all the knowledge he had on the angels and the queen, “We believe she resides in an ancient, ruined castle on the edge of the snowy mountains. A sort of headquarters for her. All of the research we were able to conduct in the past years has left us little but valuable knowledge. You are to take out any angels that may get in your way, but remember, with the queen still alive their numbers will never dwindle. Once you reach her castle, make sure your priority is to defeat her. And stay low, do not give away your position no matter where you are, the queen has eyes everywhere.”

A quiet ‘Yes sir’ followed in unison.

The princess listened with anxiety as her father laid out the strategy and where the troops would cut through the country to reach the queen’s base. “You set out immediately. A carriage is being prepared in the back of the castle as we speak. You may go now, and may the Gods protect you along your way. Bring peace.” The king spoke in a soft voice.

Elizabeth scrambled back into the shadows, the light of her father’s study illuminating the dark corridor. Four soldiers stepped out into the hallway, followed by the Golden Knight himself. Elizabeth squinted to see his features, but he was engulfed in shadow. He took a few steps then stopped and turned into her direction which made her hold her breath. The door to the study closed softly, leaving both of them in complete darkness, save for the sliver of light under the door. Elizabeth didn’t know if he could see her. They stood in silence for a few moments before she heard his footsteps walking the opposite direction of the hallway. She held her breath until his footsteps could no longer be heard then let out a soft sigh. She didn’t move though, she stood in that same spot in the dark in thought,  _ The details about the angels have been kept from me my whole life. I always knew about them but I never knew they were so…terrifying. _

Her thoughts drifted to the queen. She couldn't get those eyes out of her head. They were staring right into her, burning a hole through her. Elizabeth couldn’t figure out why the woman would even look at her, and with such intense eyes? She bit her lip. “I have to know.” she whispered.

She made a break for her room, she had to act fast. 


	2. The Escape

Elizabeth rummaged through her vanity, throwing open all the drawers to find anything valuable to potentially bribe any guards with. She pulled out a pearl necklace, ivory earrings, various jewels, and any rings she owned and threw them into a dark velvet sack. She looked atop her vanity and saw the brooch her father had given her. She stared at it lovingly, it was the most beautiful gift she had ever received. She grabbed it and put it on the neck of her night dress then bolted out the door. Elizabeth sneaked through the palace halls, ducking and hiding from any guards that made their patrols. She went down to the doors to the garden, this was the closest to the back of the castle. As she approached, a guard stood in the way. She grumbled, but she came prepared. Tip-toeing up behind him, she tapped his shoulder lightly, “Excuse me.”

The guard jumped with a yelp, quickly turning to face her, “P-princess?! What are you doing out this late?”

Elizabeth could see he was one of the new recruits her father had hired a little while ago. She had seen him around the palace, walking patrols and in the dining hall. He was a shy and timid boy.  _ Oh this will be easy _ , Elizabeth thought. She smiled her sweetest and flashed him innocent eyes. “I know it’s late, but…” She started, “I would like to go into the garden. I’ve had a very stressful day and I would like to unwind with the flowers.”

The guard blushed and rubbed the back of his head, “Gee, I don’t know princess, I could get in trouble for letting you out so late into the night...Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?” His voice was questioning.

Elizabeth stepped forward, closer in proximity to the young man, “Oh please? You wouldn't tell a birthday girl no, would you?” She batted her green eyes, long eyelashes caressing her freckled cheeks.

The guard’s face tinted a darker red, “I mean...I could. It is still your birthday, after all.”

Elizabeth’s face lit up, she searched her pocket and pulled a golden ring out of the sack of jewels and put it in his hand. “This will be our secret.” She whispered and winked. 

The flustered young man nodded quickly, accepting the ring. Elizabeth made her way passed him and stepped out into the garden, pretending to take an interest in the flowers. She didn’t necessarily have time for this, but even though the guard was gullible, she was sure he wasn’t stupid. She had to play the part. She tended to one flowerbed and then another, slowly drifting to the outer wall. She turned to the guard, “I’m going over here for a bit, I love the azaleas.” She put on her sweet smile.

“Ummm,” The guard hesitated. “Well okay, but don’t be long!” He agreed. 

Elizabeth swayed out of his view, going over to the high wall that surrounded the garden. The wall was covered in vines and various plants, perfect for climbing. She pushed up her long sleeves and grabbed onto the vines, hoisting herself up until she found footing. She ascended the wall with ease, she was always good at physical activity. Elizabeth lifted herself over the side and down until there was no more vine to hold her. She jumped down and looked around, spotting a large carriage all alone by a gate in the middle of the walls surrounding the palace. “Gotcha.” She whispered.

She crept up to the carriage silently, hopping into the back of it before anyone else showed up. The carriage was full boxes and bags containing miscellaneous things Elizabeth didn’t know of and a cot with a small blanket towards the back wall. She could hear chatter coming towards the carriage so she squeezed behind a clutter of boxes, covering herself with bags for camouflage.  _ Gods, this is uncomfortable _ , she thought, trying to situate herself. The carriage teetered with movement as someone climbed inside.

Suddenly, the carriage jerked and started moving, it took everything in Elizabeth’s power not to make a sound at the harsh movement. She adjusted herself the best she could and peeked out through a creak in the boxes. A person stood with gold and silver garb and dark green hair; The Golden Knight. Finally, Elizabeth would get a good look at him. He began to undress, Elizabeth covering her eyes in embarrassment. She was too curious, however, and peeked through the crack of her fingers. She watched the knight slip off his tunic revealing broad shoulders under silver chain link armor. As he took off his armor, Elizabeth could see the curve of his body, a slender waist that came out to wide hips. Staring hard, Elizabeth came to realize the knight wasn’t a man at all, but a woman! As if to confirm this the soldier turned to her profile and the princess could see a pair of two large breasts. She put her hand on her own small chest.  _ How did she hide those huge things so well? _ she thought to herself. She turned back to face the other woman in the carriage. She could see her face now. Elizabeth took in her features, dark skin, plump lips, a long slender nose and dark eyes. The woman had taken all of her armor off, standing in the middle of the crowded carriage in her dark pants and a beige bandeau bra. Elizabeth let her eyes explore the woman, white scars covered her muscled body along her face, neck, arms, shoulders, and stomach. She watched as she pulled a light tank top over her torso. This woman was the most beautiful person Elizabeth had ever seen.

Suddenly, the carriage jerked, jolting Elizabeth backwards with a yelp. Her hands quickly flew up to cover her mouth, but it was too late, the woman was already hovering over her. She stared at Elizabeth completely dumbfounded. Elizabeth could only smile awkwardly and wave her fingers. “Hi.” She’d been caught. 

The woman’s face turned dark, “Stop the carriage!” She shouted, her voice deep and smooth.

The carriage stopped with another harsh jerk, a small box falling beside Elizabeth. The woman grabbed Elizabeth by the arm and dragged her out, “Hey!” The princess protested, trying to pull her arm away but the soldier’s grip was too strong. Her entire hand fit around Elizabeth’s thin forearm. 

“Everything alright, miss?” One of the other soldiers asked as the two women stepped out of the carriage.

All was dark again around Elizabeth, the moon and the stars the only light to give her vision. She looked around, they were in the middle of a field on a gravel road, crickets chirping and the wind rustling the tall grass. She was mesmerized, she had never been outside the city walls. The moment was stolen away from her, though, when her arm was yanked once again. “Ow!” She yelped.

“We have a runaway.” The woman said, sounding unamused.

Elizabeth snatched her small arm from the other woman’s firm grasp, “You didn’t have to be so rough…” She rubbed the spot on her arm that was starting to bruise. 

The woman turned to Elizabeth with furious eyes, “You think  _ I’m _ being rough? You have no idea what it’s like out here, yet you snuck out of your barricaded castle where you would be  _ safe _ , into a chaotic countryside in the middle of the night!” Her tone grew more frustrated, “How did you know about this!?”

Elizabeth was offended by this woman’s tone, no one had ever treated her like this before. She put her hands on her hips, “I don’t appreciate the way you talk to me! I am your princess, you will speak to me with respect!”

“I have no respect for people who think they can spy on the king’s private meetings.” The woman retorted. “ _ I knew someone was by the door, but I figured it was a maid or something _ .” she mumbled under her breath. 

Elizabeth gasped, “I was not spying!”

The woman crossed her arms. “Then what were you doing?”

“I-I was…” Elizabeth looked to the other three guards who only stood there in nervous silence. She could feel her face flare up in shame. “I...I don’t have to explain myself to you!” her voice was shaky. 

“I am the leader of this mission, you will explain everything to me.” The woman sighed, “You know what, it doesn’t matter. We’re taking you back to the palace. Hopefully the king won't have my head.”

“NO!” Elizabeth shouted in protest, “Please, let me come with you!” She could feel her legs start to tremble, she had to convince her to let her come along. “There’s something I need to do!”

“What could  _ you _ possibly do on a suicide mission?”

“Suicide mission? My father sent you to kill the queen of angels, not yourselves.”

The woman pinched the bridge of her nose, “And how hard do you think that would be? Angels alone are hard to kill without kunzite stones.”

“He gave you a special weapon, didn’t he? If my father didn’t think you could kill her with that he wouldn’t have chosen you.”

“You just-! You realize this isn’t a novel!? This isn’t some secret crusade ordered by the king to kill the beast! This is an act of war to put an end to the apocalypse we live in.”

Elizabeth took a step back. She really didn’t like the way this woman talked to her, like she was above her. “I’ll have you know, I studied the history of Therescia all my life! I know what happened in the time of The Falling! I’m not some brainless princess who lives to be pampered!”

“No offense,  _ princess _ , but you snuck out of your luxurious palace to tag along on the road to death row. That seems brainless to me.”

“Listen, I have to know!” Elizabeth was getting desperate now, “I have to know why the queen looked at me the way she did! Why it felt like...like she knew some big secret that I don’t. I have to feel that closure.” Her voice grew quiet and she gripped her white dress.

“What are-”

“I’m also doing it for my people!” She raised her voice again, determination coming out in her tone. “I’ve never left the city, how can I claim to be a protector of my people from inside the safety of the very barricaded and luxurious walls I came from? I have to  _ do _ something!”

The soldiers said nothing, the woman looked deep in thought.

“Please let me come with you! I promise I won’t get in the way! I can- I can even help, I’m good at archery and fencing! My father let me take lessons!” Elizabeth made the motions of shooting a bow. 

The woman was silent for a long time, her eyes elsewhere. Elizabeth bit her lip, she could feel the anxiety bubbling up in her chest. The woman sighed long and hard, then groaned, “Fine.”

Elizabeth's whole whole world grew brighter at the answer.

“But miss-!” one of the soldiers sputtered out. 

“ _ Only _ if you stay behind me at all times. You don’t leave my side,  _ ever _ . If I come back from this mission with you dead the king will feed me to the angels himself.” The woman said intensely, making herself very clear.

“Yes!” Elizabeth answered a bit too quickly, “Yes, deal. Um...Miss!”

“Just...Call me Willow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's chapter 2! i have four chapters written at the moment so they'll all be posted today. its short, but i hope you enjoy it ^^


	3. The Inn

Elizabeth sat on the edge of the carriage, curtains open, and stared out at the scenery. The stars lit up the night sky, blanketing the dark horizon. She felt the breeze brush against her cheeks, breathing in the fresh air. “How is your arm?” She heard Willow ask from behind her.

Elizabeth turned, the other woman close to her face. She could see into Willow’s brown eyes, hints of gold color swirling in her irises. Her gaze drifted down to her lips, plump and dark. The princess blushed and turned away, she knew she was always weak to women, even if they were rude and rough. And Willow was very beautiful to her, despite her tough exterior. She touched her bruised arm where Willow had grabbed it, “It’s okay now. I bruise easily, so don’t worry about it.” She smiled.

Willow scooted back, a particular look of regret on her face. “Even so, I shouldn’t have handled you so roughly. It’s inexcusable, I hope you can forgive me princess.” her voice was low and honest.

Before Elizabeth could answer, the woman moved deeper into the carriage, not saying another word. The princess stared at her back for a moment before her attention was caught by another voice. 

“Excuse me, princess!”

She turned to see two of the guards walking alongside the carriage. A young looking man with chestnut brown hair and a thicker man with a dark beard. “Hi princess! Um, I liked your speech, you know, about doing something for your people.” The younger soldier spoke, “Did you really mean it?”

Elizabeth smiled and slung her legs over the side, “Of course I did. I wouldn't lie about something like that just to get my way. I adore my kingdom and all its people.”

“That’s amazing…” The young man started again, “That’s more than any of our kings have done in years - Ow!” he was shoved by the larger man who had a scowl on his lips. “I mean...I-it’s brave!”

Elizabeth decided to ignore the comment about her father. He clearly didn’t know him like she did. “Forgive his rudeness, princess.” The larger man finally spoke, “His combat skills are good but he’s young and stupid.” He flicked the man beside him, Elizabeth giggling at their banter. 

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He started again, “I’m Emile. I’m usually a corporal, but this time the captain is leading this unit.”

“You mean Willow?” Elizabeth questioned.

“That’s right!” The young man spoke up again, “Miss Buhr is not just the captain for this mission, but Captain is her overall rank! She’s favored by a lot of higher ranks for her skills in battle.”

Elizabeth looked back at Willow who was sitting at the cot looking through various weapons. “She fights alongside her men, she’s so honorable!” The young man continued, “By the way, I’m Sven!”

“And leading the carriage is Edward, he is a good soldier. Quiet, but loyal and skilled.” Emile said.

Elizabeth leaned in towards the men, pointing a thumb in Willow’s direction, “Is she always like that?” She whispered.

“You mean rough and stoic?” Emile answered, “I’ve known her since she was a teenager and I have to say, she’s always been like that. But don’t let that hard outer shell fool you, she’s actually very kind.”

“How old is she?” Elizabeth asked.

“Hmm…” Emile rubbed his thick beard, “Quite a ways younger than me. Sven how old is she again?”

“A year younger than me, so 21!” Sven answered in a chipper voice.

“So young...And yet she has so many scars..” Elizabeth whispered sadly.

“She has seen a lot of battles. The poor child has seen enough death to last a lifetime.” Emile responded.

The two men continued to talk about their war experiences among themselves while Elizabeth watched the dark sky turn a baby blue, the stars disappearing behind the clouds, pink and orange hues painting the sky. She could suddenly feel her exhaustion. She hadn't slept all night and she got up early the previous day to prepare for her birthday party. Her eyes felt heavy and her body swayed like she could fall over. And she almost did, but she felt strong hands on her shoulders. She looked up through hazy eyes and saw Willow.

“Sleep.” was all she said. 

Elizabeth nodded, then moved to the back of the carriage to the cot. She laid down on the bed trying to ignore the hard surface and quickly drifted to sleep. She dreamt of her father. 

\--------

Elizabeth awoke with a jolt and the sound of moving boxes. She opened her eyes, everything around her was fuzzy and she felt groggy. She sat up, surrounded by darkness and with her mouth feeling dry. The curtain of the carriage opened, Willow peeking her head in. “We’ve made a stop.” She stated before slipping her head back out.

Elizabeth stretched, her bones cracking. The cot was a lot harder than her bed at home. She stepped out of the carriage to see a large building illuminated with lanterns and horses parked outside. She looked up to the sky; night time again. “How long did I sleep?” She asked, confused.

“All day, princess!” Sven appeared by her side. “You must have been pretty tired.”

Elizabeth blushed. She felt flustered that she slept so long and she was sure she didn't look presentable after just waking up. She only nodded in response, running her fingers through her tangled hair. As she was concerned about her appearance, Willow came up beside her. “We found an inn.”

The princess looked around, taking in her surroundings. Trees and a large field, no other building in site. “In the middle of nowhere?” She asked.

Willow shrugged. “There are inns located throughout various remote locations for travelers as a rest stop. The men will be happy to get some food and sleep.” She set a long piece of clothing on top of Elizabeth’s head. “Wear this. We can’t have you walking around in the open. Keep yourself hidden.”

Elizabeth took the clothing in her hands out in front of her and examined it. It was a dark brown cloak with a funky smell. She didn’t want to wear something so stinky, but she didn’t have much of a choice. She noticed Edward had tied up the horses to the stable in the back of the inn, the group making their way to the front door, Elizabeth following behind. They made their way inside the inn, the princess taking in the sight; all hardwood floors and walls, a large staircase to the far right of the dimly lit room, a large front desk with a cubbies behind the receptionist, a door next to the desk labeled  EMPLOYEES , and another doorway to the far left. A fireplace was in the corner of the room with a couple of chairs surrounding it, two men sitting in the chairs. The inn smelled of dust and candle wax, Elizabeth scrunching her nose at the unpleasant combination. The group walked up to the reception desk while Willow stayed by the princess’ side. They walked behind the men, Elizabeth keeping her head low. She moved her eyes to gaze up at Willow, she was so much bigger than her and she could see her muscles defined more up close. Elizabeth felt her cheeks heat up, she was checking her out again. She needed to stop doing that. 

Then, a third smell drifted into her nostrils. The smell of food. She felt her stomach growl, which seemed to be audible because everyone turned to look at her. She smiled awkwardly in embarrassment, covering her stomach with her hands. “We’ll be in the cafeteria.” Willow said as she lead Elizabeth to the doorway to the far left.

Inside was a large room with a few round tables and chairs with food laid out along the wall. “Sit.” Willow gestured to the tables, “I’ll get the food.”

Elizabeth sat at a nearby table awkwardly and pulled down her hood. There was only one other person in the room with them, a man in farmers clothes eating a bowl of something Elizabeth couldn't make out. Soon, Willow returned with a couple of bowls and half-loaves of bread and some utensils. She set one bowl and a piece of bread down in front of Elizabeth. “Mushroom soup.” Her voice was low. 

Elizabeth’s mouth watered as she smell wafted up her nose. She took a spoon full of the soup, and moaned at the taste. Her mouth was in heaven. She was so used to Ida’s poor cooking that this was like soup sent by the Gods. She dipped her bread in the soup and took a bite, humming in pleasure. She felt like she hadn’t eaten in weeks and this truly saved her life.

“Enjoying it, princess?” Sven suddenly appeared, Edward and Emile by his side.

Willow glared at Sven and Emile hit him on the head. “We’re supposed to lay low, idiot.” He hissed, Edward shaking his head. “Don’t call her ‘princess’!”

“Just call me by my name, Elizabeth.” She smiled, her eyes kind.

Sven blushed and sat down next to her with his own bowl of soup. “Okay...Elizabeth!” He said her name awkwardly and looked Elizabeth in the face, “Wow, you’re so much prettier in person!”

Willow and the other two men groaned, Edward finally speaking up, “Slow down lover boy, she’s out of your league.” His voice was sweet like honey. 

Elizabeth said a thank you to Sven then turned her attention to Edward, this was the first time she got a good look at him. He had unique features, jet black hair and baby blue eyes, a button nose and a strong jaw. He was tall and built with muscle. He was handsome, Elizabeth thought. She watched as he and Emile sat down opposite to her. She turned her attention to Willow, “How did you know there was a cafeteria here? Do inns normally have them?” She asked.

“With the economy poor and the food shortage in towns, a lot of people travel to look for food. The inns provide rest and nourishment. Not much, but it’s something.” Willow said, not looking up from her bowl.

“Whoa…” Elizabeth was amazed at how much she was learning.

Sven spoke, bringing up a new topic and the group talked among themselves, Willow stayed silent and Edward only saying his input here and there. Elizabeth found out that even though Sven was young, his skills in combat were recognized by the king, earning him a spot on the mission. Emile had a wife and two children back in the capital city, he talked of how grateful he would be to the Gods if he could see them after the mission was over. Elizabeth reassured him that he would.

Eventually, all were done with their meal and decided to retire to bed. Sven, Emile, and Edward shared a room down the hall from the girls, Sven waving excitedly to the princess before being shoved into the room. Elizabeth waved back, stepping into her respective space. It was pitch dark, she could hear Willow step further into the room. Then, there was a light. Willow had lit a candle sitting beside one of the beds. She took in the layout of the room. The same hardwood floors, an old wooden dresser against the far left wall, two single beds across from each other in the middle of the room, a nightstand in between the beds with a candle and matches on each one. The room was otherwise bare and smelled of dust, as did the rest of the inn. 

Elizabeth walked to the right side of the bed and ran her index finger along the nightstand, coating her finger in dust. “Not very well kept.” She said to herself.

She looked over to her roommate who was already sitting on the bed opposite to hers, her sword laid out beside her. She took out the blade from its sheath, Elizabeth sitting down on the hard bed, watching Willow as she began wiping down her weapon as the princess slipped off her cloak. She watched as the woman’s muscles contracted with movement, eyes dazed with attraction. Willow, noticing the other girl was staring so hard, cocked an eyebrow. “Is something bothering you princess?” Her voice was monotone.

Elizabeth blushed. She was caught. “Nothing!” She said all too quickly, “Just Elizabeth is fine too. Um...these beds are a little hard. And the room stinks.”

“Be grateful for a bed at all, you’ll survive.” Willow retorted, not looking up from her sword. 

Elizabeth puffed her cheeks out in frustration. There was that attitude again. She sighed heavily, then got under the covers and turned over, if she wasn’t going to talk to her then she would just go to sleep. “Goodnight.” She let the irritation show in her voice. 

Willow said nothing in response which only annoyed Elizabeth more.  _ She could at least say goodnight… _ she thought bitterly. The room was quiet for a moment, then a scratching noise came from behind the princess. She shot up from her bed and turned to the sound; Willow sharpening her sword with a weird device. Elizabeth groaned and pulled the thin pillow over her ears. “Can’t you do that tomorrow!?” She practically shouted. Now she was getting an attitude.

“Always be prepared princess.” Willow said in response, not stopping her work, “It’s dangerous out here.”

“Elizabeth…” she grumbled.

Elizabeth turned over to face Willow, deciding that if she couldn’t sleep she would just watch. This time Willow didn’t seem to mind her staring, letting her overlook any part of the other woman all she wanted. Elizabeth was amazed that such a feminine figure was concealed under armor. Now she looked comfortable in her tank top and black pants. The blonde followed the scars that ran like rivers across her skin, along her arms to her shoulders and a long one across her chest, then she noticed Willow was wearing a necklace. Elizabeth looked closer and found it was a ring dangling from a string. “Is that ring special?” She asked before she could stop herself.

Willow only looked at Elizabeth from the side of her eye, then back to her sword that she was now polishing.  _ Okay, she clearly doesn’t wanna talk about that. _ Elizabeth thought. “So, um, did you bring any clothes to sleep in?” She asked. She didn’t want things to be awkward. For her sake.

“Just the ones you see me wearing.” Willow finally responded.

Elizabeth let out a relieved sigh, at least she didn’t make her mad. “Won’t it be uncomfortable?” She asked, “My own nightdress gets a little itchy with all the ruffles around the neck and wrists.”

“I’m used to sleeping in these clothes. I travel a lot because of my position, so I don't get the luxury of sleeping in my own bed.” Willow said.

“Do you have a home back in the capital?”

“Of course, just because I’m the captain and a soldier doesn't mean I live in the castle. I have a small home in the city. Though, it was provided to me by the king.” She seemed a bit embarrassed to say the last bit.

“My papa is so generous.” Elizabeth said, recalling her father, a smile on her face. “I’m going to miss him.”

“....Indeed.” Willow said flatly, inspecting her sword, Elizabeth noticing it had a purple tint to it. 

The princess sat up on the edge of the bed, “Do you live by yourself?” She continued conversation. 

“Yes?” Willow raised her eyebrow.

Elizabeth frowned, “Isn’t it lonely?”

Willow was taken aback by the question. She didn’t say anything for a moment, putting her sword back in its sheath. “I’m used to it.” She said.

“That’s so sad...You’re so beautiful too, you don’t have a lover? I-I mean- dammit - I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to...say that…” the blonde covered her red face, “ _ How could I have said that so bluntly?! And to someone I barely know!? _ ” She mumbled frantically behind her hands. 

Willow blinked, her cheeks flushing a reddish color that Elizabeth didn’t seem to notice. “Goodnight!!” Elizabeth said with embarrassment, turning back over and covering her head with the blanket. 

Willow slowly blew out the candle next to her and settled in her own bed. There was a long silence, the only sound being of the wind outside. Elizabeth was mentally slapping herself. Yes she thought Willow was beautiful, but she was so rude! She didn’t even seem to like Elizabeth, yet the girl just called her beautiful! The princess was mortified.

“Normally…” Willow’s low voice cut through the silence, “People don’t say I’m beautiful. That’s something I’m not used to.”

“That’s a shame...My father calls me beautiful every day. Your parents don’t compliment you?” Elizabeth’s voice was quiet.

“....Goodnight princess.” Was all Willow said in return.

\--------

Elizabeth tossed and turned throughout the night, having slept all day, she wasn’t able to get a wink of sleep that night. The hard bed only made it worse, she missed her bed back home. She missed home in general. She thought of her books and her dolls, her jewels and her secret room. She thought of Ida and her father, they must have noticed she was missing by now. Would her father send troops out to look for her? What would happen if they did find her? Elizabeth felt anxiety rise in her chest. She decided she needed some fresh air. She fumbled in the darkness for the matches. Once her hand found the box, she grabbed one out and lit it. She was surprised when Willow didn't stir from the sound. Elizabeth brought the flame to the candle and stepped out of the bed, careful not to make a sound. She stepped lightly across the wood floor, cracking open the door and looking back at Willow, still motionless in her bed. She squeezed through, her tiny frame fitting just enough through the slit in the door.

The entire inn was covered in darkness, save for the candle Elizabeth held out in front of her. She sneaked down the stairs, her footsteps so light it barely made a creak. She made her way into the lobby, noticing the receptionist was sleeping now, the only other light a candle lit by the resting woman. The blonde made her way to the front door and squeezed through that without a sound. Once outside, she felt the night breeze on her cheeks and breathed in the fresh air. She listened to the resulting off the leaves and looked up at the stars, everything was so natural and refreshing, it was a nice change from the city that she was so used to. Elizabeth recalled going to the city occasionally for festivals and holidays beside her father. She clutched the brooch on her neck. She thought of her father’s dark, gentle eyes, his thick beard and his large figure. She truly loved him. He was the only parent she’d ever known, Elizabeth knowing nothing of her mother. Her father never married and all her life she heard rumors that she was an illegitimate child, that her father had affairs with a courtesan and that Elizabeth had no right to the throne. Every time she brought the topic up to him he would hold her in his arms and reassure her. The rumors and harsh talk meant nothing to her if she had the love of her father. She felt a pain in her chest. She wanted to see him. He was probably mad with worry for her.  _ This isn’t helping me feel better _ she thought.

Then there was a rustling sound, Elizabeth turning her head to the noise. She squinted, holding the candle up to the bushes. There was nothing. She raised an eyebrow but decided not to think anything of it and walked back up to the inn. She quietly opened the door and jumped at the sight of a large shadow. Willow stood in the doorway with her arms crossed, a stern look on her face. Elizabeth winced, she was caught. “I thought I told you never to leave my side.” Willow said with a firm voice.

The princess looked to the ground, an ashamed blush creeping up on her cheeks. “I needed some air..” She stated.

“Open the window next time.” Was all Willow said before she turned back to the stairs, taking long strides up the steps.

Elizabeth followed sulkily, she felt embarrassed that Willow was upset with her. The two women made their way back into their shared room, Willow falling silently on her bed. Elizabeth did the same, except she couldn’t fall asleep as easily. She tossed and turned, the bed frame creaking with her movements. Willow groaned lightly and Elizabeth smirked, this is what she gets for making her feel so small.

As soon as the night sky changed its hues in time with the coming of dawn, Willow shook Elizabeth by the shoulders gently. “It’s time to head out.” She spoke in her same, monotone voice.

Elizabeth groaned, she had just fallen back to sleep. She rubbed her eyes and stretched, hearing her back crack all the way up her spine. Groggy, she slung her legs over the hard bed, slipping on her shoes. She looked over to Willow who was making her bed. Elizabeth thought she should do the same, though if she was honest she didn’t know how to properly make a bed. Her servants and maids always did it for her. She observed Willow’s movements, whipping the blanket midair so it laid out neatly onto the bed then smoothing out the wrinkles. She did the same, except her blanket did not float so neatly onto the mattress like Willow’s had done. She tried again, this time the blanket folded up around the corners. Elizabeth groaned in frustration. Why wouldn’t it work?! It seemed so easy! Willow appeared before her side and took the thin blanket into her hands, flicking it midair. The cloth descended onto the bed gracefully, covering all corners. She ran her hands over the wrinkles quickly, the bed looking as neat as it had looked before Elizabeth had slept in it.

The princess stood stunned. How had she gotten it to work so easily when Elizabeth could not get it? This only frustrated her, making her feel useless. “Come on, the boys are waiting for us in the lobby.” Willow said, walking towards the door.

Elizabeth followed behind, closing the door of the room behind her. The group met up in the lobby, Sven looking absolutely entranced to see Elizabeth so early. “Good morning Princ-uh! Elizabeth!” He said excitedly.

Elizabeth smiled in response, “Good morning, Sven. Emile, good morning. Where is Edward?” She asked curiously.

Emile greeted her kindly, bowing just slightly, then picking himself up quickly. He glanced at the receptionist who was, luckily, paying no attention to them. He cleared his throat, “He’s out by the stables giving the horses their breakfast. We should get a move on as well, we have a lot of ground to cover.” His deep voice seemed to boom in the empty room.

The group agreed then headed their way out of the inn. They walked back to the stables where they greeted Edward. Wasting no time, Willow and Edward mounted the horses of the carriage while Elizabeth hopped in the back. They set off, leaving the inn behind them. Emile and Sven walked behind the carriage talking to Elizabeth as they passed trees and fields.

“This is my family.” Emile said, handing her a slightly crinkled photo.

Elizabeth took it in her hands, the photograph was of Emile and his family sitting properly in front of the camera, a woman in a beautiful dress holding a baby in her arms and a little girl in a white dress by Emile’s feet. She turned the photo over to see sloppy handwriting on the back,  _ My beautiful wife and children, 1892 _ . It was taken only 3 years ago. “It’s a bit of an older photo, but it’s my favorite one. There are many photos of me around the house, being in the king’s guard and all, but I hardly have any photographs of my family.” Emile spoke, a slight sadness in his voice. “When we get back from this mission I think I would like to buy a camera.”

Elizabeth handed the photo back over to him, “That sounds lovely! You have to show me all the pictures you take!” She said happily.

Emile chuckled, “If your father would allow it.” He said quietly.

Elizabeth cocked her head, unsure of what he meant. Sven’s voice cut through the silence, “How’d you score such a beautiful lady like that Emile? I’ve never had a girlfriend, girls always just see me as a friend. What’s wrong with me? Am I ugly?” He gave his biggest puppy dog eyes.

Emile rolled his eyes, “No, it’s because you’re annoying.”

Elizabeth giggled.

Sven gasped in offense, “Emile, I’m hurt! Elizabeth, you don’t think I’m annoying, do you?!”

“Not at all. I think you’re quite funny actually.” She smiled kindly.

Sven smiled then turned to Emile, hitting him on the arm, “See!? She thinks I’m funny!” He crossed his arms. “I sure would like to know why I’m still single if the princess herself likes me.”

“Well...” Elizabeth started, “I don’t think you should worry about it too much. Love will find you and come to you eventually, you just have to be patient. Your soulmate is out there somewhere.”

Sven said nothing at her words, staring down at his feet in thought as they walked. “You think so?” He asked, his eyes hopeful.

“I know so.” Elizabeth said confidently, her green eyes full of life.

Sven lit up at her words, his demeanor immediately changed positively. Emile rolled his eyes and laughed, “You’re such a hopeless romantic.” He said, ruffling Sven’s brown hair.

The three talked among themselves some more, time passing by without any of them really noticing. Then, Elizabeth felt a drop on her nose. She looked up to the sky, the clouds were grey and she felt another drop on her cheek. The rain came pouring down, the group scrambling to keep themselves dry. “There’s an abandoned outpost up ahead!” Willow shouted over the downpour. 

She and Edward led the horses under the broken up outpost. The five made shelter under the roof, shaking off their wet supplies and wringing out their clothes. “That was so sudden!” Sven said.

Edward looked out at the sky, “It won’t let up anytime soon. Let’s use this time to rest.” He said. 

Elizabeth sat against the stone wall, shivering in her wet dress. She felt something around her shoulders and looked up. Willow had placed her cloak around her. “Keep yourself warm.” She said flatly.

Elizabeth’s cheeks tinted pink as she wrapped the cloak further around her.

“We have some dry firewood in here, let’s settle down for lunch.” Edward called from the carriage.

Emile and Sven followed Edward into the carriage to retrieve the supplies for a good lunch; bread, potatoes, a cauldron for water, stones for the fire, and other ingredients. “We’ll have stew.” Emile said.

Elizabeth felt her mouth water at the idea of stew. She was so hungry, she hadn’t eaten anything all day. She was used to eating meals with her father right when she woke up, they would always eat their breakfast together in the dining hall, it was the only time of day she really got to spend time with him. His responsibilities would fall to her eventually, if she made it out of this mission alive. Willow handed her a piece of bread as the men lit the fire. “This will tie you over until the meal is done.” She said.

Elizabeth munched on the piece of bread, it was a little stale and hard, but Willow was right, it would have to tie her over until the stew was finished cooking. She watched as Emile scolded Sven on how to properly peel potatoes, Edward mixing herbs and spices together in a small wooden bowl. She looked over to Willow who was gathering rain water into the cauldron. She stood there, straight and still. Elizabeth looked over her body, examining every scar and curve that she could see. She quickly turned away once Willow had gathered enough water, setting the pot onto the trivet to let the water come to a boil. She sat beside Elizabeth once her job was done, prodding at the fire every now and then, the blonde stealing glances at the woman, feeling a little embarrassed. She felt so nervous around Willow, not because she was extremely beautiful, that was something Elizabeth had come to terms with, but because she felt like she was judging her at every given moment. Elizabeth was good at being a princess, at pleasing dukes and noblemen. She had learned all the proper etiquette and mastered her reading and writing, she knew how to sweet talk guards to get her way. But she had no idea how to be a soldier, no idea how to survive outside of her palace, outside of the safety that the castle brought her. All she knew was how to shoot an arrow.

Elizabeth perked up, that was it! That was what she knew how to do, that was how she could help against the angels. She turned to Willow with bright eyes, “Archery!” She shouted.

Willow and the men looked at her dumbfounded. Elizabeth’s cheeks blushed red, “Um...I mean, remember how I said I’m good at archery? If we ever come across angels I can help kill them with an arrow! I’ve been practicing since I was a young girl.”

Willow glanced at the men who were slaving over the cauldron, Sven chopping carrots as Edward stirred the pot. She turned back to Elizabeth, “We already have an archer.” She pointed to Sven who waved, dull knife in hand.

The light faded from Elizabeth’s eyes and she retracted into herself. Of course they already had an archer. She really was no use at all.

“Well, it’s never a bad idea to have more than one weapons expert.” Emile spoke up from where he sat, “We have a small party and there are thousands of angels out there. We have to make it all the way to the Snowy Mountains with just the five of us and the queen is surely to have an army ready for when we arrive.”

Elizabeth smiled, feeling excitement swell up in her chest. She looked to Willow who seemed to be deep in thought. “Come on Captain,” Edward spoke up this time, “What do we have to lose? Sven could teach her how to be quick on her feet, besides it shouldn’t be too hard if she already has experience hitting a target.”

Elizabeth bounced where she sat, she couldn’t contain her excitement. She really appreciated the mens’ input, and their words were clearly swaying Willow. She sighed, brushing her hair from her forehead. “Alright. Once the rain lets up and we eat Sven can get her up to speed.”

“YES!” Elizabeth threw her hands in the air, making Willow jump.

She blushed, she had gotten a little too excited. The men laughed and continued with the food preparation, Elizabeth feeling satisfied. She stared at Willow who barely looked at her. “Just..” She started, still refusing to look Elizabeth in the face, “Don’t get hurt.”

Elizabeth smiled. She was going to do her best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's chapter 3! its a little long, but next chapter will be longer haha i hope u all enjoy!


	4. The Angels

The queen sat on her broken throne, surrounded by decaying flesh and blood, the bodies of many angels at her feet. She held a man as thin as a skeleton up by his neck as she extracted the essence from his body, inhaling the light like a drug. Her eyes rolled back in sensation, breathing heavily with ecstasy. She dropped the man, now lifeless, onto the stone floor. One angel held up a quivering child in his claws, but The Queen shooed it away. “I’ve had my fill.” She said flatly.

The angel tossed the child into a small corner where other beaten and battered humans cowered in fear. The Queen sat back in her throne with a sigh, a small smile painted on her black lips. A gurgle came from her side; she looked to see one of her angels crawling its way towards her. “Ah, Lynthos, you’re back. Do you have any news for me?” She said as if she was speaking to a child.

The angel groaned incoherently, The Queen’s eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise. “So, she has decided to come to me? Hm, well this saves me the hassle of trying to hunt her down.” She brought her white hand to rest upon Lynthos’ mane. “Keep an eye on her for me will you? And be sure to get rid of the bodyguards. I can only entertain so many guests at a time.” She chuckled.

Angels began to surround her, purring and cooing as she pet them on their heads. “Oh, but keep the knight alive. I want to thank her personally for bringing the princess to me.” The Queen’s mouth slit into a devious smile. 

\----------

Elizabeth pulled the string of her bow back to her cheek, she focused on the small tomato Sven had placed on the tree in front of her. She let out a small breath as she released the arrow, successfully hitting the target.

“Amazing! You really are good at this!” Sven exclaimed from beside her. 

Elizabeth took on a prideful smile. “Thank you!”

She grabbed another arrow from her quill and placed it in the arrow plate, pulling back the string which strained her muscles, then released once again. The arrow hit the tomato just above the other, splattering juice everywhere. Sven examined the tomato which was limp and sad as its juice bled from its body. He put his middle and index finger to his chin, “You certainly have talent,” Elizabeth’s face lit up at his words, “But, killing angels is not going to be like shooting tomatoes on a tree. You need to be able to hit moving targets.”

The princess’ face fell in defeat, she had never tried to hit a moving target before, that wasn't in her usual criteria. However, she wanted to remain confident, she had a sharp eye and a precise shot after all. “I can do it!” She exclaimed.

“I like your spirit!” Sven smiled at her determination, “Now, I’m going to throw some tomatoes in the air and you have to hit them.”

“Don’t waste food!” Emile called from the rock he was sitting on, sharpening his sword.

“Let them be, Emile,” Willow said in response, looking down at her map, “We’re near Erma Village, so we can stop there for more supplies.”

“Captain, with all due respect, the king only gave us so much money, we don't want to use it all on tomatoes because children want to use precious food for their target practice.” Emile retorted, earning an offended ‘Hey!’ from Sven.

“Don’t worry Corporal, Erma is a poor village, their food markets are relatively cheap for the money we have been given. We have enough.” Willow pointed to the map.

“Isn’t Erma off course?” Emile asked.

“Yes, but it’s a shortcut. I think this route is also the safest. Waterbed Village is the last settlement on the map before the Snowy Mountains, and it’s on the edge of the border. There’s relatively nothing out there but ruins and forests; The Queen has eyes everywhere and we would be more invisible if we drift away from the roads and villages. The trees and mountains will give us cover from any watchers.” Willow ran her finger along the paper as she explained her strategy, going over the markings along the map.

“Staying away from villages would also keep innocents safe from potential angel attacks.” Edward spoke from the adjacent rock.

“Exactly.” Willow responded.

Elizabeth stood by the trees as she watched the three discuss the path they would take, a small breeze rustling the leaves of the forest and blowing her blonde hair across her face. “Elizabeth!” She turned her attention to Sven, who called out to her from her side, “I’m going to throw the tomatoes! Be ready!”

Elizabeth nodded and readied her bow, pulling back the string to her cheek and focusing on the air. Sven pulled his arm back and threw a tomato hard into the sky. She focused her eyes on the red fruit flying by her, took in a breath and released. The arrow flew into the air, completely missing the tomato and crashing into the forest. She stared for a moment into the forest her mouth hanging open. Shaking her head she readied her bow once again, “Throw another one! That was..uh...just my warm up! I’ll hit it this time.” She pulled back the string of her bow with ease.

Sven raised an eyebrow, tossing the next tomato in her direction. Elizabeth strained her eyes and locked onto it, then released the arrow to hit her target. All her focus was for not, however, because this arrow missed the fruit just the same as the last one had. The princess sighed in defeat, “Okay, this is a lot harder than it looks...” She admitted.

Sven walked up to her tossing a tomato between his hands, “It takes a lot of practice, but you have a good start. Let’s try throwing the target towards you so you can get it head on.”

Elizabeth’s eyes lit up. “That sounds perfect!”

The two took their positions across from each other, Sven standing near the forest while Elizabeth near the camp. Sven readied himself then pitched the fruit in Elizabeth’s direction, she kept a sharp eye on the red sphere flying at her, ready to release at the right time. But, once again she missed and the tomato hit her smack in the face. She fell back onto the ground with a yelp.

“Elizabeth!!” Sven shouted as he ran to her. 

Elizabeth slowly sat up, propping herself up on her elbows. “Ugh..” She groaned, the tomato falling onto her dress.

“Are you okay!?” Sven asked from beside her, his voice heavy with concern.

Elizabeth nodded as she tried to smile, but her nose really hurt. She looked down at the tomato sitting on her white dress, its juices staining into the fabric. “My dress…” She whined.

She then felt a hand wrap around her forearm, it was firm but not too tight, as it began to pull her off the ground. Elizabeth wobbled where she stood, her vision a little fuzzy from the impact.

“Sven, don’t break her before she can attempt to improve.” Willow spoke behind the princess.

“Maybe throwing it directly at me wasn’t a good idea..” Elizabeth mumbled.

“It wasn’t, I don’t know what you two were thinking.” Willow retorted, taking a handkerchief out of her pants pocket, handing it to the other girl, “Wipe your face. Does it hurt?”

Elizabeth took the cloth and gently patted her face free of the tomato juice, her nose felt like it was on fire and pulsing so she didn’t want to put too much pressure on it. She handed the handkerchief back to Willow then touched the bridge of her swollen nose, wincing at the pain. “I hope I didn’t break it…” She looked at her fingers to see if there was any blood.

Willow took Elizabeth’s chin gently in her hands and examined the girl’s face, twisting it left and right to look at her nose from all angles. “Not broken, just swollen from the impact. It’ll feel better in about an hour or so.”

Elizabeth tapped her nose and winced at the pain. “Stop touching it, let it be.” Willow called from where she had previously been sitting, “I think it’s about time we set off. We should head to Erma in order to restock supply.” She wrapped the map back up and into her satchel. 

Emile mounted the carriage horse this time as Elizabeth climbed in the back. It was pretty nice out now that the rain had stopped, so everyone stayed outside to walk. Elizabeth wondered if she should walk as well, just to get some exercise. “What’s wrong?” Sven asked from in front of her as the carriage began to set off.

Elizabeth pondered on her thoughts for a moment before she jumped out of the moving carriage, almost slipping on the wet grass before Sven caught her. “Careful! Is everything alright?” He asked.

Elizabeth perked up once she had footing, “Yep! Just thought I’d walk too!” She said with a bright smile.

The walk to Erma wasn’t a long one, it was actually pretty close to the post ruins where they had set up camp. It was tiny and run down for the most part, barely anyone lived there and the shops were set up outside in stalls. The group split up, each going to separate stalls. Elizabeth stood in the middle of the bazaar not sure where to go. Instinctively, she followed Willow who was looking at various fruits. Elizabeth looked over the woman’s shoulder, taking in all the ripe and fresh foods. Her mouth began to water as her stomach growled. Willow turned to face her with a curious look on her face. The princess blushed and covered her stomach with her hands. Willow looked at her for a moment then turned back to the shopkeeper, “I’d like 3 apples and 2 lemons please.” She asked politely.

The shopkeeper put the order of food into a woven basket as Willow handed her the money. Once she saw the currency her eyes shot wide, “This...is coin from the capital.” She said, dumbfounded.

Willow nodded and stepped in front of Elizabeth as if to shield her, “Yes, we are travelling.” She said.

“Long way to come from the capital.Especially in a land so dangerous. Shouldn’t you have stayed inside your protective walls?” The shopkeeper asked in almost a condescending tone.

“We’re here on business.” Willow retorted, her voice no longer polite and gentle, but firm. 

Elizabeth knew they couldn’t tell the people they were sent by the king, or that they even came from the royal guard. She looked down at her dress, how elaborate and high class it was compared to the rest of the people in the village. Willow’s attire was the same, maybe not as elegant and expensive as her own nightgown, but it was obvious she was of high rank in society. She tapped Willow’s shoulder and urged her to come down to face her. Willow leaned her head down as Elizabeth whispered in her ear. She listened and nodded, then turned back to the shopkeeper. “Are there any tailors around here?” She asked, back to using her faux polite voice.

The shopkeeper seemed taken aback by the question, but answered all the same. “Yes, you can find a tailor two roads down. It’s a nice, two-story home. The bottom half has been recreated into her shop while her home is on the second level. Many men and women in Erma do hard labor, so their clothes get ripped or torn. Hellena mends clothes well.” She looked Willow up and down, her perfectly neat buckled jacket then tried to catch a glimpse of Elizabeth, raising an eyebrow, “Do you need anything mended?”

“Thank you.” Was all Willow had said before turned away from the stall, Elizabeth following closely behind. 

Willow made her way to Emile. “I’ve just been informed there is a tailor here in town. We should all probably get regular clothes to fit into the crowd that way we don’t get…” Her eyes darted to the various people staring at them, “Stares like this. We cannot stand out. Gather the other two and go to the two story house two streets down from this bazaar. I’ll meet you there.”

Emile nodded to Willow and finished up his purchase. Willow took large strides down the village streets, Elizabeth sticking closely behind her. They looked around for a two story house, their heads whipping from side to side to catch the building. “Some vague directions.” Willow whispered under her breath when she should’ve been close. 

Elizabeth looked across the road and saw an alleyway with some buildings down it. “How about there?” She pointed.

Willow looked to the alley, “A tailor’s shop wouldn’t fit there, besides how is anyone supposed to find it?” 

Elizabeth puffed out her cheeks and walked across the street to the alley anyway, Willow’s protests that she stay beside her ignored. There were many oil lamps lighting the alleyway, giving light to the narrow space. Elizabeth looked to her right and saw a sign that said “Hellena’s Mend Shop” in a fancy cursive. “I found it!” She called out.

Willow walked up to her sternly, her arms crossed. She then looked at the sign and then the rest of the building. Two stories. She sighed, “Well this is definitely it. How the hell is anyone supposed to find this?”

Elizabeth opened the door with a jingle. “It’s a tiny village, everyone must know where everything is.”

“Welcome!” A large woman in an elaborate jade dress called from a sewing machine. 

Elizabeth looked around the workshop of lace and fabric, unfinished dresses of various colors on mannequins posed in a charming manner. Long rolls of fabric laid out by the door, sashes and ribbons hung from the ceiling. The princess was mesmerized, she had never seen such an array of colors together before. “Is there anything I can help you ladies with?” The woman asked, not looking up from her work.

Willow approached the woman, taking care not to step on any of the things scattered across the floor. “Yes, we would like to know how much it would be and how long it would take to tailor some outfits?”

“How many?” The woman said tilting her head with a smile, her eyes still focused on her sewing machine. 

“Five.”

“Hmm, well that’s a big order. With the projects I currently have along with yours, it will take me approximately two months.”

Willow clicked her tongue, “We don’t have that kind of time…” She mumbled to herself. 

The woman finally took her eyes away from the sewing machine to look at Willow and Elizabeth. She stood from her small stool, bringing her index finger to her lips she examined the two women’s body types. “Well, if this order is for you ladies I can see what I already have in stock?” The bell of the front door jingled as Emile, Edward, and Sven walked in whispering to themselves if this was the place. “I will be with you gentlemen in just a moment.”

“Ah, no, they’re with us.” Willow turned to Elizabeth, “Go look around for something, but keep it cheap.” She shooed her away.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow with a sly smile and whispered, “Everything is cheap.”

Willow glared down at the princess, “I don’t need the sass, just go find whatever you like.”

Elizabeth danced away, losing herself in the sea of fabric that surrounded her. “Beautiful young girl, isn’t she?” The shopkeeper spoke up, looking at Willow with a smile. “Is she yours?”

“Mine?” Willow asked in response, not understanding what the shopkeeper meant.

“Ah, nevermind. What is it that you’re looking for exactly?” The woman changed the subject.

“Just something functional and simple. We’re on a tight schedule so is there a way you already have something in stock or something you can quickly make?”

The shopkeeper looked at Willow and the group of men behind her, taking in their clothes. She glanced over to Elizabeth who, despite the stains, also had donned fairly nice attire. “Are you sure? Anything I have here in my shop would be a step down from what you’re already wearing.”

“Yes ma’am, anything cheap that you can give us.” Sven pushed his way to the front beside willow, “We’re trying not to stand out.”

Willow and the other two men glared at him, signalling him to stop talking. The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow then promptly sat back down at her sewing machine and continued what she had been previously working on. “I’m going to need all of your measurements if I’m going to make you clothes. However, since it seems you need these clothes as soon as possible, I can’t promise they will be stylish or pretty.”

“That’s perfectly fine, miss, we just need anything simple yet functional.” Willow said.

“Functional for…” The shopkeeper looked to Willow’s sword peeking out from under her cloak, “Your travels?”

Willow pulled her cloak a little closer to her body, concealing the sword. “Yes ma’am.” She replied.

The shopkeeper glanced Willow up and down, then the men behind her. “Well, I may have something in stock for you, young lady, but only in mens clothing. As for you gentlemen, It will take me at least 2 days to complete something functional, yet appropriate for you.”

“Two days? Is it possible you could reduce that time?” Emile spoke from the back.

“Impossible,” The shopkeeper held up her hand, “I have more projects than this to work on, and even then I will have to use fabric from works already in progress for that kind of speed. It’s also going to cost you extra, since I am being rushed.”

“Extra!?” Sven cried, getting hushed by the other two men in the process.

“That’s acceptable.” Willow fished through her pocket and pulled out the bag that held the currency. “Will this much do?” She asked, pulling out 4 gold coins with the king’s insignia on them.

The shopkeeper took the coins and examined them. She smiled, “This is the perfect amount. However…” The woman looked to Elizabeth who was shifting her attention from one dress to another, “How are you going to pay for those?” She cocked an eyebrow.

Willow sighed. She excused herself for a moment and stepped to the side of the shop where Elizabeth was as the men got their measurements.

“Can you make up your mind?” She asked the princess.

Elizabeth looked up to the woman with a pout on her face. “These dresses are all so dull...I was impressed at first, but getting a closer look, they’re all awfully plain.”

“This isn’t your closet, Princess. This is a poor town, they don’t have the lifestyle or the money to buy something tailored to your taste.” Willow retorted.

Elizabeth felt irked by Willow’s comment. “Fine, you pick something out.”

Willow looked around at the dresses with her hand on her hip. She set her eyes on a salmon colored dress with a high neckline that ruffled out to leg of mutton sleeves. The bodice was buttoned with grey buttons, the skirt ending at the ankles. “This one.” She pointed to it.

Elizabeth approached the dress with her index finger resting on her mouth, examining the dress. “Hm...It does have a certain charm to it. And the color would look pleasant with my skin.”

Willow rolled her eyes. “Is it satisfactory?” She asked, annoyance in her voice. 

Elizabeth sighed, “Just because you don’t care about your appearance doesn’t mean I don’t as well. I would like to look presentable when I go out, something someone as unladylike as you wouldn’t understand.”

Willow closed in, bringing her face closer to the princess’. “My job is messy, dangerous, and requires my full attention. I don’t have time to care about how ‘presentable’ I look. You can spend all your time wondering if your eyelashes are long enough when you bat them at men who will never respect you beyond your status and appearance, but know that you threw away the luxury when you stepped foot into that carriage.”

The soldier peeled her face back, giving Elizabeth room to breathe. The princess blinked, Willow speaking to the shopkeeper about the dress all fuzzy in her ears. She stood among the men, her ears hot and her heart pounding in her chest. Balling up her fists, she felt tears swell in her eyes. She was so frustrated by Willow’s words, but didn’t know how to express them. 

The party paid for the service then left the tailor’s, Elizabeth’s new dress folded up in hand. As they stepped out of the building, she noticed that it was beginning to rain. “Better put up your hood, Elizabeth.” Sven said next to her. “Don’t want you getting sick!”

Elizabeth smiled weakly at him, pulling her hood over her head. She quietly followed behind the carriage, Willow staying close beside her. She hated this. She was so frustrated and upset by the woman that she didn’t want to be anywhere near her. But she knew Willow swore to protect her, even if just to save her own head from the wrath of the king. 

The party pulled up to a large, two story building. Elizabeth assumed it was an inn.  _ So even a village as small as this one has an inn _ , she thought. “I’ll go inside and get our rooms.” Willow called out to the men, urging Elizabeth to follow her inside. 

Elizabeth obeyed, not saying a word to Willow or even looking at her. The two stepped inside, the inn was the same as the last one they had visited, only smaller in scale. Willow managed to secure two rooms, one for her and the princess, and another for the men. They made their way up to the suites, or what could be considered a suite in this poor village, and settled down for a moment. The room was virtually the same as the previous inn. The same two beds across from each other, a dresser, nightstand, candles and matches. Only this time the room had a long, full length mirror standing in the corner of the room. 

Elizabeth sat quietly on the bed, this one just as hard and uncomfortable as the previous. She didn’t bother to take her cloak off, her trembling hands gripping the fabric as she tried to keep herself from crying. She could hear Willow unpacking her equipment and set it beside her own bed, only now Elizabeth had no desire to stare at her. She looked out the one large window on the far side of the room, watching the raindrops fall on the glass. She listened to the rain as it hit the roof of the inn, finding the noise calming. 

Then, as if to snatch away her good feelings, Willow appeared beside her. She held out the dress that they had purchased from the tailor. “Are you going to put this on?” She asked.

Elizabeth felt a hot rage as she stared at the dress. She no longer thought it charming knowing that Willow is the one who picked it out for her. She turned her head to the side, avoiding all eye contact. “I’ll put it on later.” 

Willow raised an eyebrow and tossed the dress on the bed next to the princess. “It was your idea to change our clothes, so advise you to just wear it. It’ll be better than your tomato stained dress anyway.” She said while making long strides back to her bed. 

Elizabeth balled her hands into fists, biting her lip. There was a fire burning deep inside her core, one that she could no longer contain. She turned to Willow with angry eyes. “Must you always be so heartless?”

Willow stopped for a moment, not saying a word. She turned to the princess. “Excuse me?” 

“You always talk to me like I'm beneath you, like I’m a child or a pet that’s an inconvenience to you.” Elizabeth stood from the bed and faced Willow now. “I am Elizabeth Anne Klaus, princess of Therescia and I demand that you treat me with a little more respect!” 

Willow quickly stomped toward Elizabeth and covered her mouth with her large hand. “Quiet! Don’t announce yourself so loudly.”

Elizabeth felt even more anger, how dare this woman treat her so harshly once again. She smacked Willow’s hand off of her face. “Don’t touch me!” She yelled. 

“Enough, there is no reason to yell.”

“There are plenty of reasons!” Elizabeth retorted, her voice now quivering. “Emile said you were kind despite your harsh exterior, but I haven’t seen any kindness from you yet. You treat me harshly, put your hands on me, and insult me! You have no respect for my position or me as a person, and I am tired of being submissive to you just because you ‘swore’ to protect me!”

Elizabeth then headed for the door of the room, slammed it open and stomped down the steps of the inn to the lobby. She could hear commotion upstairs and the receptionist calling out to her, but she ignored it all. She stepped out into the pouring rain, the streets empty save for a few children running home. She kept walking, unsure of where she was going or what she was doing. She was just angry, angry at Willow, and angry at herself for thinking she could handle something like this. 

Then began the tears. They fell hot down her cheeks, the only difference between her tears and the rain being how heavy her tears felt on her face. She let out a choked sob, feeling herself become drenched in the misty air. Holding herself, her pace slowed down. She missed home, Ida, her friends, and most of all, her father. She wished deeply to be back inside her castle walls, regret filling the space of her heart.  _ I never should have come here _ she thought to herself, failing to hold back the cries housed in the back of her throat. 

Then, a piercing sound, like a nail scraping along glass, made its way into her ears. Elizabeth shot her hands up to her ears to muffle the noise, but it was like a dart that shot right through her. Her head ached in pain at the sound, her body trembling with the vibrations of the frequency.

“Elizabeth!” She could hear Sven call her name. 

She opened her eyes to see an arrow shoot past her, a black mass falling to the ground beside her. It was an Angel, and a fairly large one at that. Elizabeth’s hands shot up to her mouth, covering her screams. She looked to the horizon, only to see a swarm of black masses rushing towards the village. Sven then appeared in front of her, bow ready for the next shot. “Get to safety!” He shouted.

Elizabeth stumbled back. She couldn’t take her eyes off of the wave of creatures coming their way. She could feel a large hand grab her shoulders and pull her close. Looking up she saw Willow, purple tinted sword in hand. The screams of the angels only grew louder as they drew closer, people of the village coming out of their homes to investigate the noises.

“Everyone stay inside!” Emile shouted among the crowd, he and Edward appearing beside the rest of the party. 

Everything was a blur to Elizabeth, the cries of the villagers now mingled with the high pitched screeching of the angels. They formed like dark clouds in the sky, a storm rushing to rain on this poor little village. Elizabeth was paralyzed by fear, unable to avert her gaze from the impending doom that was to come. 

“Go find cover. Now.” Willow’s low voice sent shivers down Elizabeth’s spine. 

She ushered Elizabeth to a nearby building, the princess’ feet taking her mindlessly to where she was sent to go. She took residence inside a small cafe where people sat in fear, the cries of a small child could be heard above the pouring rain. Elizabeth peeked out the front window of the cafe, watching as angels began to land and surround her party. Her body trembled ferociously, she could hear her teeth chattering with her body’s vibration, her breathing so heavy and fast she was sure to hyperventilate. She watched her friends fight off the monsters, Sven firing arrows faster than Elizabeth could even comprehend, Emile using gauntlets to fight the beasts hand to hand, Edward approaching with a large battle ax. Then her eyes came to Willow, sword in hand, surrounded by numerous angels. Elizabeth was sure this was where they would all meet their end. 

Willow drew her sword and slashed at the angels before her, their blood splattering on the ground. They screeched something horrible as they died, their large bodies crashing to the ground. Elizabeth could see now why she was considered the most skilled knight in the country, she had just taken down various angels seemingly without breaking a sweat. The princess shifted her focus to the men who were struggling a little more than Willow was. Sven was backed into a corner, his arrow ready and pointed at his attackers. Edward was pinned to the ground, the only thing keeping the angel from mawing his face off was his ax, and Emile was nowhere to be seen.  _ ‘No no no no no!’ _ Elizabeth shook her head as tears began to swell in her eyes. 

Then, she could hear a rustling by the door of the cafe. Sniffing and hot breath, like a large animal was looking for something. She held her breath, the baby still crying out into the dark room, hushes from its mother trying to calm the child. There was scratching on the door now, followed by banging and wooden chips being flung from the door. It broke open, an angel crawled into the cafe, its growls overlapping with the crying and screaming of the people taking shelter. Elizabeth sat in fear as the monster prowled around the floor, ready to jump at any innocent person. 

A sudden arm flew around the beast’s large body, pulling it back. Elizabeth followed the arm to the body it belonged to; “Emile!” She cried as the man held back the angel.

“I...will not let you harm anyone in this village!” Emile shouted.

He pulled the angel back with his sheer strength, the beast struggling in his arms. The angel then used its mass to shove Emile back, Emile not letting up his grip. The two fell back onto the ground. The angel struggled in Emile’s grasp, squirming on top of the man. Elizabeth sat there in horror, unable to move. She fought herself in her mind, she had to do  _ something _ , but she was petrified. And what could she do? She couldn't even hit a moving target with an arrow. She covered her ears with both hands. Looking to the people huddled in the back of the cafe, Elizabeth felt tears swell in her eyes. These were her people, being tormented by the black beasts that horridly ruined their world. They were her people, looking for someone to help them. They were  _ her people _ , terrified and sure their end was near. 

Then, Elizabeth sprung up to her feet, dashing to the kitchen of the cafe. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for anything sharp. She knew angels couldn’t be killed by any metal, but at least maybe this would stun the angel on top of her companion. She spotted a large chef’s knife laying on the counter and grabbed it. Rushing back out of the kitchen and into the main cafe, Elizabeth focused her eyes on the angel gaining its freedom from Emile’s grasp. She had to act quickly. She held the knife steady between her hands, holding it bottom side down, and charged at the mass on the ground. She screamed as she stabbed the monster, feeling its flesh cut from underneath the knife. Tears began to run down her face, she had never hurt any living thing before, and even though she knew the angels were her enemy, it didn’t make impaling something with a heart any less difficult.

Elizabeth stabbed the angel in the stomach and chest, over and over. It wailed in pain, it’s blood splattering everywhere. The angel then broke free from Emile’s hold and ran on all fours to a corner of the street, its blood flowing behind it. Elizabeth let out trembling breaths, holding the knife in her hands. Emile rose to his feet and looked at the princess with wide eyes. She stood there trembling, blood covered her white nightgown, holding the knife in the same position as if she was ready for another angel to come at her.

Emile looked at her as if he wanted to hold the small girl in his arms, comfort her like his daughter. But there was no time for that. He turned his attention back to the angel that he was just fighting, its wounds healing rapidly where it had been stabbed. Emile had to act fast, while it was still taken out of the game to heal. He swiftly pulled out a small dagger made of kunzite and ran to the angel, stabbing it in the nape of its neck. The angel shrieked in pain, then fell to the ground, its blood spurting from its new wound. 

Then, there was a human scream. Emile and Elizabeth’s attention turned to the sound, only to find an angel had its maws clenched down into Edward’s shoulder and neck. Emile ran to the man’s aid, Elizabeth charging in after him. She had to help.  _ She had to help _ . But then, she felt a strong arm around her waist, pulling her back. The knife slipped out of her bloody hands and clanged to the ground. Elizabeth looked to see who stopped her; Willow. The woman had a fear in her eyes that Elizabeth had never thought she would see from her. “What are you doing!?” She shouted, her voice barely heard in the pouring rain.

Willow looked back to the men of the group. Edward being mauled alive by an angel, Emile using his gauntlets to beat the angel’s head in and pry it off of their companion, Sven firing arrows at the remaining. The princess felt Willow’s body heat as the woman pressed her close to her. She readied her sword just in case any angels came at them. Elizabeth watched with watery eyes as the angels began to retreat, only a handful of them left. The biggest one that had Edward in its jaws clawed at Emile, shrieked, then flew into the air, the rest following. 

The rain continued to pour as the few remaining angels fled. Everything was muffled out by the raindrops hitting everything, the ground, the buildings, houses, skin and hair. Elizabeth’s eyes fell to Edward, his limp body bleeding out on the ground. Emile and Sven rushed to him, she could hear them shout to hold on and to keep his eyes focused on them. Her legs began to tremble, feeling like putty. She could no longer stand, and fell to the ground. Willow fell with her, the soldier holding the princess tight in her arms. Elizabeth choked out sobs as she watched the men tend to their fallen friend, the tears falling hot down her cheeks. She could feel Willow’s large hand rest on her head, pressing her face into her chest. Elizabeth could no longer look at the horrific scene, and instead buried her face into Willow’s breast, listening to the cries of her companions, and the pouring rain. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and here's chapter four! chapter five is currently in the works, but im not sure when it will be finished. so please enjoy these four chapters until then ^^

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys!! so i just found out that ao3 is home to original works just as well as fanfiction, so i decided i would post my original story here as well! i dont know how often i will update this story, as i work on it very slowly. but i hope you all enjoy it just the same! and thank you for reading!


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